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MACKAY Regional Council will struggle to meet water demand this week if residents don't comply with Level 3 water restrictions.

The restrictions came into force yesterday and will remain until Saturday while the Nebo Rd water treatment plant is shut down so the council can finish a $60 million upgrade to its water supply network.

To guarantee continual raw-water flow, water usage for the Mackay Regional Council urban area must remain below 48 megalitres each day.

On Sunday, water usage for the region was 49ML.

Mackay council director of water and waste services Jason Devitt said water supply issues would arise if residents didn't cut their usage down.

"(Water) will be cut off from going into the treatment plant, but we have reservoirs in our system so we should have capacity to cater for (demand)," Mr Devitt said.

"There's a limit of about 45 to 48ML as a maximum if we operate 24/7.

"Yesterday we had 49ML go through the plant and if... the people are using more than we can create it becomes an issue to supply," he said.

Mackay councillor for water and sewerage Frank Gilbert said the shutdown of the water treatment plant was necessary to complete the final "piece part of the jigsaw" in drought-proofing the region.

"It's very unfortunate we have to put on Level 3 restrictions, but it's very necessary," Cr Gilbert said.

"This will complete our work and we don't anticipate any further construction for many, many, years to come."

Cr Gilbert said residents who were found blatantly breaching water restrictions over the next week would be fined $200.

Restrictions

Watering permitted before 10am and after 4pm on alternate days using a watering can or bucket. No hoses.